The Girl Left by the Firelight
by KimDavenport
Summary: "I'm glad you agreed to go out with me again. I was afraid I would never get to see you again." He hoped she couldn't sense his nervousness from his words. She was so beautiful when she smiled. He couldn't imagine anything prettier in the world. Her porcelain skin sat beautifully against her pale green dress and light teal headpiece.


"I'm glad you agreed to go out with me again. I was afraid I would never get to see you again." He hoped she couldn't sense his nervousness from his words.

She was so beautiful when she smiled. He couldn't imagine anything prettier in the world. Her porcelain skin sat beautifully against her pale green dress and light teal headpiece.

"Leaving you alone that night was a mistake. I'm sorry. Once I thought carefully about it, I realized how much I really wanted to see you." He was happy. This was a beautiful night, and she was a beautiful woman.

"I'm so happy to hear about your uncle's new tea shop. It's good to hear that you guys are doing well." Her smile was bright.

"Thank-you." He was pleased to see the happiness in her eyes. "How is your family?"

"They're doing well. Of course, they struggle just as much as anyone else in the lower ring. I'm sure you don't want to hear about all that, now with you being an upper-ring man and all." She laughed.

He liked it when she teased him. He worried about her sometimes, still living in that troublesome lower ring. Her family seemed to be okay, with regards to food and shelter. Still, it was a dangerous place. If he had his way, she would never have to go back to live in that place. He couldn't protect her there.

It was strange how much feeling he could feel for someone who he had only talked to twice. Emotion was a funny thing, as his uncle always said.

"The buildings are so pretty here, I love all of the lights."

The lights could not compare to her gorgeous face.

"They're not as pretty as you." Had he really said that? He was usually better at controlling his emotions. But she brought out a side of him that he usually did his best to suppress. He wanted to say everything he felt while he was with her.

"Anyway," he coughed, trying to cover up his nerves. "Where would you like to have dinner? I think there's a new restaurant over by the university."

"That sounds good. I am excited to try it." Jin took his arm as he led her over to the restaurant. He loved it when she held his arm.

At the restaurant, they asked for a table for two. The waiter led them to a corner booth table near the back of the restaurant. The lighting was dim, and the soft booth was covered in light green leather. The table was of an earthen material, and there was a small flickering candle in the center.

"This is perfect, thank-you." Zuko nodded to the waiter as he took their menus. Jin moved by him to take her seat in the booth, and Zuko followed her. They sat elbow-to-elbow as they quietly read their menus.

"Wow, everything looks so good. I'm not sure what I want to try." Jin pushed a stray lock of hair behind her ear as she studied her menu. It was strange all of the little details he could notice about her. Her smile, her eyes, her hair. He usually didn't notice the little things; too caught up in the larger picture of life that included the destiny that had been created for him.

"We could get a bunch of different dishes and share them if you want."

"I think that sounds nice."

Zuko was happy he could make her smile.

As they ordered their food and ate, they talked about their families, their hobbies, their likes and dislikes. Zuko preferred to listen, and let her talk. It was partly because he enjoyed hearing about her so much. What was her family like? What was she like? He wanted to know as much as possible.

He also preferred to listen rather then talk because he was afraid what would happen if he let too much slip about him and his uncle. She believed they were earth kingdom refugees, and he needed her to continue to believe that. He did not want to think about what she would do if she discovered his lie. It was better to become engrossed in her stories and watch her beautiful features change as she recounted tales from her childhood then to come up with deceptions and lies about his past to keep her from finding out to much.

The candlelight flickered lower and grew dimmer as the night wore on. By the time their chocolate cake came, the wax had nearly all melted into a pool at the bottom of the green glass bowl, with just a small nub and a bit of wick lighting the table. Soon, their dinner would be over.

As they finished Zuko realized there was something he really wanted to do. It felt like something he needed to do.

"Jin, I'm sorry I left you alone that night when we were by the firelight pond."

She turned to him in surprise. "I know you are Zuko, you already apologized. It's okay, I understand."

She didn't really, but it was cute of her to show him such compassion. Her kind spirit reached out to him in a way much like that of his uncle's.

"I'm just glad you wanted to meet with me again, after our…sudden separation."

He moved closer to her. She smiled again. The sign of joy which melted his heart each time.

"I was happy to get the chance to see such a handsome young man again," she turned her face to his, their chins inches apart.

He leaned closer, she leaned into him, and their lips met. It was just as he had imagined it. His heart clenched in a way he had never experienced before. He didn't feel paranoid or strained…he felt, safe, and happy, and filled with desire. He didn't have an uncertain future to worry about now. He was certain of his path; certain that Jin would be part of it.

"I love you, Zuko," whispered Jin suddenly between kisses.

Zuko froze in shock, their kissing interrupted by the news. When he did not respond, Jin pulled away from him in surprise.

"Zuko? Did you hear me?" Jin looked so expectant…she was waiting for him to say something, he knew it. But he just could not bring himself to say anything. It had been so long since he had felt love, he could not bring himself to recognize it, much less say it out loud.

"I…I…." Zuko hesitated.

"It's okay," said Jin quietly, pressing her hand against his lips to stop him from talking. Zuko looked at her in surprise. Could she really understand? Was there anything about his horribly messed up life that she could understand?

Jin shrugged. "You are an refugee, just like all of us. Lost in this war, devastated by the Fire Nation, just like all of us. You do not know whom to trust yet. You haven't remembered how to establish good relationships yet. What it was like to love before the madness of this war."

Zuko looked on in surprise. She did understand, somehow.

"Thank-you," he whispered.

Jin smiled her welcome, and leaned forward to kiss him again.

This kiss was short, but the feeling of her lips would rest on his for the rest of the night. He would never forget the feeling of her soft touch, or of the slight pressure her hand had on his as she leaned forward. He would remember these little things forever.

Together, they left the restaurant and began the journey back to Jin's home. He was happy he could walk her home at night. At least these were times he could protect her from the dangers in the world; he only wished he could do it more.

When they knocked on her door, Jin's mother and father both answered.

"Zuko! Good to see you finally decided to bring our daughter back to us." Jin's father was not a huge fan of Zuko's, but that was to be expected, considering he was her father. Zuko had a feeling he would have acted the same way.

"Be nice," warned Jin's mother, in a much more welcoming tone. She had taken to Jin's and Zuko's relationship much better then her husband.

"Good-night Zuko, We will see you soon, I hope."

"Definitely," answered Zuko, meaning it completely. He could not wait until their next meeting.

Jin smiled one last time, then made her way past her parents into her house.

Zuko bid them good night and turned to leave, when Jin's mother spoke out.

"We want to thank you Zuko, for being so kind to our daughter. We haven't seen her this happy in awhile."

Zuko kept his back turned as he nodded to them.

"It has also been awhile since I've been this happy," he said, more to himself then them.

Then he turned and walked away. Ba Sing Sea was a beautiful city, and Jin was a beautiful girl. Uncle had been right about all of his opportunities. He could already see a very happy life forming for him before his very eyes.

As he made his way up the hill, he turned back for one last glimpse at the house. He could see the faint figure of a slight girl in a pale green dress standing on the upper balcony.

"Good-night Jin," whispered Zuko to himself. "I love you."

Then he turned his back and continued his way back to the upper ring.

Team: Fire Nation

Round: 7

Category: Themed (love)

Prompt:6. (Color) Pale Green

Word count: 1584


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